


Heart and soul

by ChestnutBrumby



Category: Guardians of the Galaxy (2014), Guardians of the Galaxy - All Media Types
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-01
Updated: 2014-08-01
Packaged: 2018-02-11 07:58:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 536
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2060214
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChestnutBrumby/pseuds/ChestnutBrumby
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ficlet from Rocket and a shade of Groot's perspective during a pivotal point in the GotG movie. Rocket and Groot friendship. MAJOR SPOILERS for the Guardians of the Galaxy movie.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Heart and soul

**Author's Note:**

> **This fanficiton contains MAJOR MEGA SPOILERS for the movie Guardians of the Galaxy. But feel free to keep reading, if you're into that sort of thing!**
> 
> * * *

The world was about to crumble, but Rocket - who had never cared, overmuch, for the affairs of the outside worlds - couldn't bring himself to respond to the threat. He cradled, in his hand-like paws, a trio of sticks, clutching them to him desperately, unable to believe it.  
"I called him idiot." He whispered brokenly, tears choking him. They'd been together for _years_. For so long, that translating Groot's three-word proclamation had become second nature. Rocket never had to look over his shoulder - he knew that Groot had his back. Woe betide anybody else who tried to actually pick Rocket up, but countless times Groot had scooped him into his branching arms and dived with him, to safety.  
The thought that he would never see him again was ripping him apart. His best friend had given his life to save the rest of them.  
Rocket had never cursed his worthless existence as much as he did in that moment. He wished he'd never been made. He wished he'd never gone after a bounty named Peter Quill. He wished he didn't have to feel this awful, heart-rending pain. He wished he was dead and Groot, dear, protective, naive, selfless Groot was still alive.

Rocket didn't have much in life, and subsequently, he didn't ask much of life. He liked to make things explode. He liked the rush of hunting down a bounty, pitting his wits and Groot's muscle against a chosen adversary. He liked his vehicles fast and preferably stolen. He liked to get caught sometimes, because prison escapes were his thing. He liked to wash his food before he ate it, no matter how fresh it actually was. He never, ever dwelled in the past.  
And Rocket had Groot. Since the very first moment when the talking tree had met him and saved his life, Rocket had been at his side. Or on his shoulder. Repaying the favour, laughing at jokes that only made sense to the pair of them, making sure that _everyone_ knew not to mess with Rocket and Groot.  
"You'll die, Groot! Why are you doing this?" Rocket clung to his friend's front with all four paws as the ship plummeted, as Gamora and Quill drew subtly closer together and Drax sat back, looking resigned. Groot's ebony eyes had shone as they gazed into his old friend's soul. There was no need to ask, really. Rocket _knew_ him. Knew that the one thing that mattered most in the world to Groot were the ones he loved. Up until a few days ago that had just been Rocket. But not anymore - there was room in Groot's heart for more.  
He smiled, a little sadly, and wished he could have gently patted between Rocket's ears one last time.  
" _We_... are... Groot."

And the ship had crashed, and the flickering flames of the aftermath had burned Rocket's heart in two.  
A familiar metal, blood, and rotten marshes scent washed over him. Ronan. Instantly, Rocket's heartbreak exploded into something lethal. He leaped to his hindlegs, fury rising up in every hair - teeth bared, eyes narrowed, ears flattened back against his head, he roared.  
"YOU KILLED GROOT!"  
And he would see to it that his friend's murderer would _pay_.

**Author's Note:**

> * * *
> 
> Sweet oceans, **the feels in this movie**. I wrote this because although Quill's the leader, and Gamora the voice of reason (the assassin, yes), and Drax is the comic relief, these two are the heart and soul of the team, and to see them is to love them.


End file.
